Rabotnitsa
Encyclopedia
Rabotnitsa is a women's journal, published in the Soviet Union
and Russia
and one of the oldest Russian magazines for women and families. Founded in 1914, and first published on Women's Day
, it is the first socialist women's journal, and the most politically left of the women's periodicals. While the journal's beginnings are attributed to Lenin and several women who were close to him, he did not contribute to the first seven issues.
It was re-organized in May 1917 as a Bolshevik
journal administered by the Zhenotdel
, the Women's Section of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
, becoming their central publication. Later that year, its editors organized the First Conference of Working Women of the Petrograd Region, promoting the Bolshevik cause in the elections to the Constituent Assembly. From the start of the Russian Revolution of 1917, Rabotnitsa served as the official women's publication under the Communist Party
in Russia.
magazines exclusively devoted to women and families. The magazine's basic theme is to advocate proletarian internationalism and international labor solidarity as a means to checkmate imperialism. Its advocacy is for "social justice, the emancipation of women, and worldwide peace." The magazine meant to make women workers aware of the political situation in the country and acted as a catalyst in participation of women in the socialist revolution in Russia. The magazine's editors wrote about transforming domestic life through raising the consciousness of men, and blamed social problems on the lingering influence of patriarchy. The magazine paved the way for the women workers to "participate in state and public life and in the building of communism". It was instrumental in awakening the women workers to the political reality of the times and brought them under the party's banner. It also helped in propagating Leninist ideology of the socialist revolution.
, a close friend of Lenin, was instrumental in actualizing the magazine. Anna Ulyanova
, one of Lenin's sisters, found a press willing to print two issues per month. The first editor was a male, Felix Vasilievich Martsinkevich, while the publisher was a female, D.F. Petrovskaia, the wife of a Bolshevik Duma deputy. Its editorial board was composed of Armand and Samoilova, as well as A. I. Yelizarov, N. K. Krupskaya, P. F. Kudelli, L. R. Menzhinskaya, Y. F. Rozmirovich, and L. N. Stal. It prospered at the encouragement and support provided by Lenin
. It was published by Izdatel'stvo "Pressa" in the Russian language. The money needed to support the publication was collected from women workers.
The first issue was published on International Women's Day
, 23 February 1914, with 12,000 copies. It lacked a cover, illustrations and an issuing body. It was a quarterly journal for the period 24 February (8 March) to June 1914. In its first year, its circulation was 12,000. Initially, there were seven issues of which three were confiscated by the police as there was strict censorship by the Communist Party
. The magazine ceased its publication after the seven issues due to the difficulties associated with World War I
.
The journal restarted on 10 May (23), 1917, its cover announcing that it was now a part of the central Committee of the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party. Following the October 1917 Revolution, the magazine created a citywide awareness of the revolution. This was followed by the "First All-Russian Congress of Women Workers" in 1918 after which the tsarist government
closed the magazine, and all members of the editorial board were jailed. Its publication was resumed in Moscow in January 1923. Ulyanova worked for the magazine at that time, but did not follow the instructions of her brother, Lenin, who by now was abroad, and she resisted efforts by Armand to make the magazine more theoretical.
In 1926, the magazine published articles about a perceived male resistance to women entering metal and machine-tool work jobs, which were typically dominated by men. Within 10 years the magazine congratulated its readership, stating that women "form more than one quarter of all metal workers and machine construction workers, and almost a quarter of all workers in the coal industry..." In 1933, Joseph Stalin
complemented the magazine with a personal greeting. A 1935 issue was on the topic of motherhood; in 1936, that was an article on narcotics easing labour pain; and in 1946, there was an article on new fabrics. For Rabotnitsa, the period between 1914 and 1944 has been described as "the most dramatic and challenging years of its existence", when strong ties were maintained between the press and the political leadership of the country.
("truth").
s in 1914, and the circulation that year was 12,000; in 1918, it was between 30,000 and 40,000. By 1930, it was published in bimonthly press runs of 265,000 copies. In 1974, circulation was 12.6 million; and in 1986, it was 13.3 million. In the 1990s, its circulation was reported to be a record high. It began as a bi-weekly pamphlet, evolved into an illustrated weekly, and later became a monthly journal.
(1964).
Criticism from the Bolshevik women readership centered on the magazine being out of touch with its audience. However, this may have been aimed at Armand. Editors preferred stories of interest to women workers, as well as their poetry and fiction, while Armand preferred theoretical and propaganda pieces written by emigré women such as herself. In spite of a poor review of its quality, Soviet women found the magazine to be "a friend, an adviser, a consultant, and an entertainer".
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and one of the oldest Russian magazines for women and families. Founded in 1914, and first published on Women's Day
International Women's Day
International Women's Day , originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and...
, it is the first socialist women's journal, and the most politically left of the women's periodicals. While the journal's beginnings are attributed to Lenin and several women who were close to him, he did not contribute to the first seven issues.
It was re-organized in May 1917 as a Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
journal administered by the Zhenotdel
Zhenotdel
The Zhenotdel was the Women's Section of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union .In November 1918 Alexandra Kollontai, Inessa Armand, Nadezhda Krupskaya, Konkordiia Samoilova, Klavdia Nikolayeva, and Zlata Lilina organized the First National Congress of Women Workers and...
, the Women's Section of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, "Tse-ka", earlier was also called as the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party ...
, becoming their central publication. Later that year, its editors organized the First Conference of Working Women of the Petrograd Region, promoting the Bolshevik cause in the elections to the Constituent Assembly. From the start of the Russian Revolution of 1917, Rabotnitsa served as the official women's publication under the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in Russia.
Advocacy
Rabotnitsa is one of the oldest Russian languageRussian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
magazines exclusively devoted to women and families. The magazine's basic theme is to advocate proletarian internationalism and international labor solidarity as a means to checkmate imperialism. Its advocacy is for "social justice, the emancipation of women, and worldwide peace." The magazine meant to make women workers aware of the political situation in the country and acted as a catalyst in participation of women in the socialist revolution in Russia. The magazine's editors wrote about transforming domestic life through raising the consciousness of men, and blamed social problems on the lingering influence of patriarchy. The magazine paved the way for the women workers to "participate in state and public life and in the building of communism". It was instrumental in awakening the women workers to the political reality of the times and brought them under the party's banner. It also helped in propagating Leninist ideology of the socialist revolution.
History
The journal Rabotnitsa was established in 1914 in St. Petersburg. While some state it was initiated by Nadezhda Krupskaya, Lenin's wife, the idea is credited to Konkordiia (née Gromova) Samoilova. Inessa ArmandInessa Armand
Inessa Armand , born Elisabeth-Inès Stéphane d'Herbenville, was a French communist politician and feminist who spent most of her life in Russia. She was also known for her affair with Vladimir Lenin....
, a close friend of Lenin, was instrumental in actualizing the magazine. Anna Ulyanova
Anna Ulyanova
Anna Ilyinichna Yelizarova-Ulyanova was a Russian revolutionary and a Soviet stateswoman. She was a sister of Vladimir Lenin....
, one of Lenin's sisters, found a press willing to print two issues per month. The first editor was a male, Felix Vasilievich Martsinkevich, while the publisher was a female, D.F. Petrovskaia, the wife of a Bolshevik Duma deputy. Its editorial board was composed of Armand and Samoilova, as well as A. I. Yelizarov, N. K. Krupskaya, P. F. Kudelli, L. R. Menzhinskaya, Y. F. Rozmirovich, and L. N. Stal. It prospered at the encouragement and support provided by Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
. It was published by Izdatel'stvo "Pressa" in the Russian language. The money needed to support the publication was collected from women workers.
International Women's Day
International Women's Day , originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and...
, 23 February 1914, with 12,000 copies. It lacked a cover, illustrations and an issuing body. It was a quarterly journal for the period 24 February (8 March) to June 1914. In its first year, its circulation was 12,000. Initially, there were seven issues of which three were confiscated by the police as there was strict censorship by the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
. The magazine ceased its publication after the seven issues due to the difficulties associated with World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The journal restarted on 10 May (23), 1917, its cover announcing that it was now a part of the central Committee of the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party. Following the October 1917 Revolution, the magazine created a citywide awareness of the revolution. This was followed by the "First All-Russian Congress of Women Workers" in 1918 after which the tsarist government
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...
closed the magazine, and all members of the editorial board were jailed. Its publication was resumed in Moscow in January 1923. Ulyanova worked for the magazine at that time, but did not follow the instructions of her brother, Lenin, who by now was abroad, and she resisted efforts by Armand to make the magazine more theoretical.
In 1926, the magazine published articles about a perceived male resistance to women entering metal and machine-tool work jobs, which were typically dominated by men. Within 10 years the magazine congratulated its readership, stating that women "form more than one quarter of all metal workers and machine construction workers, and almost a quarter of all workers in the coal industry..." In 1933, Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
complemented the magazine with a personal greeting. A 1935 issue was on the topic of motherhood; in 1936, that was an article on narcotics easing labour pain; and in 1946, there was an article on new fabrics. For Rabotnitsa, the period between 1914 and 1944 has been described as "the most dramatic and challenging years of its existence", when strong ties were maintained between the press and the political leadership of the country.
Similar publications
Like Krest'yanka ("the peasant woman"), Rabotnitsas audience was the ordinary woman and not the activist; and these were the only publications that were available both throughout the country as well as throughout the Stalin era for that audience. Rabotnitsa functioned as a women's supplement to PravdaPravda
Pravda was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1912 and 1991....
("truth").
Circulation
The magazine cost four kopekRuble
The ruble or rouble is a unit of currency. Currently, the currency units of Belarus, Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria, and, in the past, the currency units of several other countries, notably countries influenced by Russia and the Soviet Union, are named rubles, though they all are...
s in 1914, and the circulation that year was 12,000; in 1918, it was between 30,000 and 40,000. By 1930, it was published in bimonthly press runs of 265,000 copies. In 1974, circulation was 12.6 million; and in 1986, it was 13.3 million. In the 1990s, its circulation was reported to be a record high. It began as a bi-weekly pamphlet, evolved into an illustrated weekly, and later became a monthly journal.
Awards and criticism
Rabotnitsa has received many awards, such as the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1933) and the Order of LeninOrder of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
(1964).
Criticism from the Bolshevik women readership centered on the magazine being out of touch with its audience. However, this may have been aimed at Armand. Editors preferred stories of interest to women workers, as well as their poetry and fiction, while Armand preferred theoretical and propaganda pieces written by emigré women such as herself. In spite of a poor review of its quality, Soviet women found the magazine to be "a friend, an adviser, a consultant, and an entertainer".
Further reading
- Vavra, Nancy Glick (2002), Rabotnitsa, constructing a Bolshevik ideal: women and the new Soviet state